Area high school basketball teams, both boys and girls, held its first official practice on Wednesday.

The West Craven Eagles are hoping to continue where they left off last season. Both of their basketball teams advanced to the 3-A Eastern Regionals before losing to Rocky Mount.

The boys are led by seniors Josh Cuthbertson and Demetres Abrams — both first-team all-area performers a year ago.

Cuthbertson scored nearly 30 points per game and grabbed almost 11 rebounds.

“I think they are going to do what they’ve always done,” said West Craven boys coach Bryan Goehring. “They are going to be leaders on and off the court and let their basketball play speak for themselves.”

West Craven’s boys lost forward Aaron Tate, and a couple key role players.

Goehring said he is using the postseason to build some cohesiveness.

“It’s always exciting to see what you’ve got and what you can put together,” he said. “We have to find some kids to step up.”

West Craven’s girls’ squad will be once again led by junior standout Jamie Cherry, who committed to play basketball at North Carolina during her freshman season.

“The sky is the limit for her going into every season,” said West Craven girls’ coach David Fernandez. “It’s a luxury that not a lot of teams have, and I don’t want to take it for granted. There is that quiet confidence in her that she knows her ability and what she can do.

“As a coach, I have to make sure everyone else can continue to rise up. I think they are up for the challenge.”

The Eagles return a solid lineup of player that saw significant playing time last season — Kaylee Koeperich, Jasmine Raynor, Nyeesha Roundtree, Nishedra Brown and Lindsey Arthur.

“From all of the returning players, they are positive and upbeat,” Fernandez said. “They’ve been ready to hit the floor since the summer and fall. They are back in the groove and want to play.”

New Bern’s boys team returns the major of its players from last season — Miller Mills, Michael Hughes, Colin Jacobs, Jailen Ganus and Theron Nobles.

Head coach Cliff Dillard only hopes his squad has improved over the offseason.

“We are going to have a lot of guys back, so hopefully they developed and learned a lot,” Dillard said. “We are still going to be a young team, but we have some experience.”

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Pamlico boys coach Earl Sadler is ready to change his team’s style of play, a year after winning six games.

“We are going to play a lot faster and I think we are going to be a lot more athletic,” Sadler said. “When the whistle blows, their feet are going to be running fast.”

The Hurricanes have three main guys that are taller than six-foot-three — Jermicus Brown, Terrance Heath, David Resto.

They also have D.J. Lewis and Bradley Bennett.

“We have a strong core back that has been playing varsity basketball together for two years,” Sadler said. “They are ready to get after it.”

Havelock’s boys basketball team had one of its best seasons, winning 13 games. Coach Bill Fryczynski was the Sun Journal Boys’ Coach of the Year.